Shell Nigeria Gas Ltd has appointed Elohor Aiboni as Executive Vice President and Country Chair for Nigeria. The appointment took effect on 1 August 2026.
She is now the first Nigerian and the first woman to hold the combined role in Shell’s more than 60 years of operations in the country.
Aiboni succeeds Marno de Jong, a Dutch national who led Shell’s Nigeria business for more than six years. Marno de Jong initially led as Senior Vice President from around 2020, and later as Executive Vice President and Country Chair. He had a 34-year career with Shell, and left to pursue an opportunity elsewhere.
SEE ALSO: The Faces Behind Nigeria’s Biggest Brands
Career Background and Education
Aiboni is a Nigerian Chemical Engineering graduate of the University of Benin from the Urhobo ethnic group in Delta State. She later earned a Master’s degree in Integrated Environmental Management from the University of Bath, UK.
Aiboni joined Shell in 2002 as a trainee production engineer after completing the Shell Intensive Training Programme. She has more than 24 years of experience with Shell, working across Nigeria’s offshore, shallow-water, and onshore businesses, as well as international assignments in Kazakhstan and Brunei.
Key milestones in her career include:
- Serving as Asset Operations Manager for the Sea Eagle FPSO (shallow offshore) and later for the Bonga deepwater asset.
- Becoming the first female Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) in 2021.
- Under her leadership as MD of SNEPCo, the Bonga field reached the milestone of 1 billion barrels of oil produced in 2023.
- From 2024, she served as Asset Director at Brunei Shell Petroleum, overseeing asset performance, production, and project delivery.
SEE ALSO: Daughter Reveals Dangote’s Plan to Donate One-Third of His Fortune
Family Life
Public information about Elohor Aiboni’s family is limited. She is referred to as “Mrs Elohor Aiboni,” indicating she is married, but details about her husband, children, or personal family life are not publicly shared. She has maintained a clear boundary between her high-profile professional role and her private life.
Aiboni’s elevation marks a significant milestone for Nigerian professionals and women in the energy sector. Her rise has been widely described as a product of diligence, competence, and strong leadership in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
About The Author
